A Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agent Tuesday busted four Mississippi men with more than three tons of shrimp caught illegally in Louisiana waters, the agency reported.

According to the department, Senior Agent Brett Nabors received a complaint about a boat actively shrimping in Lake Borgne near the Rigolets. After arriving in the area at 8:10 a.m., Nabors says he saw a boat with its nets in the water. He ordered the captain to retrieve his nets, and saw shrimp and bycatch in the closed tails of the trawls, the department reported.

Nabors then cited Joe Tran, 48, Duc Le, 48, Tri Le, 55, and Phung Hoang, 59, for trawling in a closed season. He seized 6,100 pounds of shrimp, and sold them to the highest bidder.

Using skimmers in a closed season brings a $400 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail and forfeiture of anything seized.

In addition for the first conviction of shrimping during a closed season, the court may revoke or suspend any violator's trawl, skimmer or butterfly gear licenses for one year from the date of the conviction. During such revocation or suspension, the violator may be present on a vessel harvesting or possessing shrimp or possessing a trawl, skimmer or butterfly net only if the vessel is equipped with and employs an operating vessel monitoring system that is accessible to LDWF. The violator may also have to perform 40 hours of community service.